Not altogether cricket

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Trying to put it under a cut - fingers xd as per usual ....

Well up in matters sexual, sensual, hedonistic and otherwise agreeable was Ray Doyle, or so he considered himself. Well up in matters argumentative, adversarial and matters of armaments also. So it came as no surprise to him that being partnered for all the hours god and George Cowley saw fit with a beautiful, cocky, hard-as-nails brother-in-arms and soft-as-butter best mate should get in amongst him like nobody’s business and light him up like Blackpool Tower. Ruthless repression was second nature, though, and London was awash with girls happy enough to share a little good time - or a lot - that took the edge off nicely. Bodie wouldn’t take it kindly, he thought, in fact Bodie would do his bloody nut if he ever so much as suspected any of the camping-it-up had an undercurrent of real, at least on Ray’s side. That was what Ray thought for the longest time, and if anyone had been fool enough to question Bodie’s jack-the-lad credentials Ray would have been the first to laugh like a drain and mean it. And if he fancied himself as ever so slightly more worldly-wise, the more unshockable, more experienced of the two, well, it gave him the equanimity to face down all that adventurer braggadocio his partner so enjoyed indulging in.

 

So when Bodie cajoled and inveigled and generally sweet-talked Ray into giving him a lift to a way-out-in-the-sticks cricket match on the grounds that his car was getting open-engine surgery – and then hanging on all through the interminable, incomprehensible bloody tedium to give him a lift back afterwards – Ray was expecting nothing more than a day spent reading in the sun, if there was any, with a fancy tea thrown in and maybe some local talent to chat up if he was lucky.

 

Bodie didn’t look half bad in cricket whites, though …. and when he took his turn as bowler, the whole business of why cricketers had this long dark streak right beside their flies became rivetingly clear. Ray would have sworn the teasing bastard was doing it on purpose if it hadn’t been for the look of tongue-tipped total concentration and the fact that all the other bowlers did it too. And then Bodie’s unadulterated exultation when he … scored some magic number of runs, or whatever it was called, was undeniably irresistible. And it was certainly a joy to see him so damn happy after the match, with everyone clapping him on the back and buying him pints, so that Ray didn’t have the heart to cut short the festivities and insist they head back to town at a decent hour. And when it turned out that the pub only had one room to let, and Ray had let Bodie include him in altogether too many rounds of bloody good local beer to think seriously about driving anywhere at what was now a distinctly indecent hour, well, it was less hassle just to go with it and crash out, still borne aloft on the thermals of Bodie’s cricketing triumph.

 

And when Bodie turned to him, gaze just a little hazy with beer and victory and … maybe something else, and said “Bloody brilliant, today was. Beautiful sunshine, cracking game, bloody unbelievable pint – ”  Ray’s usual equanimity was definitely dented as Bodie let himself fall backwards, sprawling across the whole of the double bed, and added with a smile of perfect contentment “wouldn’t ‘ve been worth tuppence without you here though.”  And when Bodie shifted over to make room for Ray, still happy-all-over, and hopeful, and tentative, and maybe just a little apprehensive and anticipatory, Ray couldn’t help thinking that maybe – just maybe – there was a bit more to be said for cricket than he’d always thought.

Comments

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

Brava! OMG, I love your style.

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It was fun to come out and play *g*

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh I like it - there's something to welcome me home from a long day's driving randomly around... *g* It's a happy fic, Doyle all happy cos Bodie's all happy, and just... *sighs happily*...

Erm... scoring though... you got anything you'd like to confess there? Cos that was mi-i-ighty quick posting after claiming the next innings... *g*

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Happy fic day today! But I totally confess (I said I was going to cheat *g*) - I have a real thing about deadlines, and I wasn't sure whether or not I was going to get a few quiet moments to write today. So I prepared my innings before coming out to the crease (or whatever the appropriate metaphor is!). So in fairness I probably shouldn't have any runs - in fact I'd probably be sent off in disgrace to look after all the extra jumpers!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Yeay! You did say you were going to cheat - it was so quick though! *g*

You can have a run though, cos we love you very much anyway... *vbg*

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I think that's a generous decision on the part of the umpire *g*

[msmoat.livejournal.com]

Ray couldn’t help thinking that maybe – just maybe – there was a bit more to be said for cricket than he’d always thought.
Heh. Yes, just maybe so! *g*

Thank you! This was nice and warm and just the thing, really, for a sunny, summer day. Cheers.

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Hey, thanks - I like that it got me to come out to play, and I just felt like trying for a sunny snippet (despite the fact that it's raining over here .... :( ) - hope it's sunnier where you are!

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Oh I love the tone of this, it had me smiling at the build up to Bodie's happy 'confession'. beautiful, cocky, hard-as-nails brother-in-arms and soft-as-butter best mate And this is such an apt descripütion of our lad - thank you so much for coming out to bat!

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad that empty_mirrors and BSL organised the match so we could come out and play. Happy if it raised a smile - thanks so much for commenting! (and he really is hard and soft like that, isn't he)

[biani.livejournal.com]

This snippet has something easygoing in it, it puts you instantly in a good mood and makes you smile. Thank you!

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It's been a rainy grey day around these parts, so I'm happy if it's raised a smile!

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

That was delightful. Who cares that the Test match was a wash out today, I'd rather have Bodie in his whites and sporting and all man-of-the-match any time. You've more than made up for the lack of play at Edgbaston.

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

As a total non-cricketer in RL, I'd have to say I'd rather have Bodie in his whites (or out of them) too *g*. What a delightful compliment, thank you!

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

This is positively wonderful. loved it. It just flowed along like a smooth, smooth river of words. The idea that Bodie had such a brilliant day which wouldn't have meant a wit to him without Doyle made me grin and grin. Thank you!

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

In all honesty I think he might have been sweet-talking Ray just a tiny bit, but he really did want Ray to be there - went to a lot of trouble to make sure he would be, really, with no other transport to be had for love nor money ... ;) - and he meant it, deep down, 'cause he knows it's Ray who makes everything worth while.

Thanks so much for reading and commenting!

[greengerbil.livejournal.com]

Ooh, loved this! such a great picture - and Bodie admitting that he wouldn't have had nearly as much fun if Ray hadn't been there is just perfect.

Right - I'm bagsying the next innings - I hope. The only trouble is, I'm having HUGE difficulty accessing lj today - it's taken me five minutes just to load this page! So if nayone else has already bagged the next innings I apologise profusely and can only plead that i haven't been able to get an up-to-date page!

Lord knows how I'm going to post this - but never mind. Onwards and upwards, says The Doctor...

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Hey, thank you! Bodie would still have had a good day - but it was all about having Ray with him (and hopefully with him) to make it a great one *g*

Thanks for the comment! And I'm looking forward to your innings!

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

A huge pleasure to read - I particularly liked the last line: And when Bodie shifted over to make room for Ray, still happy-all-over, and hopeful, and tentative, and maybe just a little apprehensive and anticipatory, Ray couldn’t help thinking that maybe – just maybe – there was a bit more to be said for cricket than he’d always thought.

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm really happy you liked my little bit of fun (and I can never resist trying to get them to be happy together .... :D )

Thanks for commenting!

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

You almost make me want to watch cricket!

Totally gorgeous, thank you - so lovely to have both of them happy and content for once. Awwww!

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

I'm a total cricket ignoramus, so I'm just lucky I can pretend it's Ray's ignorance rather than mine *g* - but I can see how exultantly happy Bodie would be to have played well! And I do love trying to have them be happy together, of course. Thanks so much for reading and commenting!

[probodie.livejournal.com]

Hee happy Bodie and the image of him rubbing the ball down his whites is just delightful *g*

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

I'd give a lot to see him do that myself! *g* I bet it got Ray all hot and bothered too .....
Thanks for the comment!

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

I loved that, especially the description of Bodie right at the end! Thank you!

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I think Bodie just might have been about to extend his run of luck there ..... *g*. Thanks so much for commenting!